Fluorescent Bulb Recycling Program

Fluorescent light bulbs, including CFLs (compact fluorescent lightbulbs),
should never be thrown in the trash because they contain mercury vapor.All fluorescent lamps (light bulbs) should
be disposed of in accordance with state laws.As of May 1, 2008 the MA
DEP’s Mercury Management Act “prohibits
any person, household, business, school, healthcare facility or state or
municipal government from knowingly disposing of a mercury-added product.”Straight
fluorescent lamps with a “green-cap” claim to
have low mercury content, but these lamps
should also be recycled under the new mercury management law.

The good
news is that it is easier than ever to dispose of fluorescent light bulbs.Proper disposal is now available at all transfer stations and some town halls
within the District.Transfer stations
in Bernardston, Buckland, Charlemont,
Colrain, Conway, Deerfield, Heath, Montague, New Salem, Northfield, Orange,
Rowe, Shelburne, Warwick, Wendell, and Whately now host fluorescent lamp
recycling programs for their residents.Residents of Deerfield, Hawley and Sunderland may now
recycle fluorescent lamps at their town halls.The Town of Greenfield accepts fluorescents
from Greenfield residents at the Greenfield transfer station.Small fees (.50 – 1.00) for recycling vary
from town to town.Check with your town
or transfer station for pricing. Expired, unbroken CFLs may also be brought
to any Home Depot store (returns desk), any Aubuchon Hardware store, or the Greenfield Solar Store for
recycling. The stores do not charge for this service.

Fluorescent
light bulbs, or lamps, come in many shapes and
sizes.Energy-saving compact
fluorescents are now available in the traditional light bulb dome shape as well
as twin tubes and the spiral twist bulb.Some other types of fluorescent bulbs are circular
(circline) lamps, U-tubes, and straight lamps,
which can be found in any length from two to eight feet.

Exercise caution when handling
these bulbs, because if they break, the mercury vapor in the bulb is released
and can be harmful to your health. If you do break a fluorescent bulb of any
kind, you should open a window to ventilate the room, and then leave the room
for 10-15 minutes to allow the mercury vapor to dissipate. On returning to the room, use a broom to
clean up the broken bulb. Do not use a vacuum, which may redistribute fine
particles around the room. The broken
pieces should be placed in the trash. Since the mercury has escaped, they are
no longer hazardous waste. If you
notice a white powder, this is phosphorous.
It can be placed in the trash with the broken pieces.

You may be wondering if CFLs are
worth the extra effort. According to the EPA, Energy Star qualified CFLs, as compared to incandescent bulbs, use aboutone-quarter of the energy to produce the same amount of light, and last up to10
times longer.This energy conservation
can translate into $30 in electricity savings over each bulb’s lifetime.Since CFLs save energy, less energy is drawn
from coal-burning power plants.As coal
is burned, power plants emit mercury, which pollutes rivers and lakes and makes
fish unsafe to eat.By reducing energy
use, CFLs actually save mercury from being emitted by
coal fired power plants.Fluorescent
lamps do not release mercury unless they are broken.

District residents may still bring
fluorescent lamps to the District’s Regional Household
Hazardous Waste Sites. These “Super Sites” are located at the transfer stations
in Bernardston, Colrain, and Conway.